Wireless communications devices are used to access a variety of services and participate in various communications events. For example, these communications may include incoming and outgoing telephone calls, incoming and outgoing text messages, incoming and outgoing SMS messages, incoming and outgoing MMS messages, incoming and outgoing e-mails, WAP sessions and the like. More generally, these communications may include any form of communication between the user of a wireless communications device and at least one correspondent.
Commonly, wireless communications devices host a personal information manager (PIM) software application. The PIM software application is a computer program which allows a user to maintain and organize various types of personal information. PIM software applications often incorporate or communicate with a contacts database for storing and organizing contact information. The contacts database, which may be referred to as a contact manager or address book, typically contains one record or profile for each personal or business contact whose information is being maintained. Each profile may have such data fields as first name, last name, company name, department, address, city, state, country, zip code, email address and multiple telephone numbers such as home, work, mobile and facsimile. In addition, each profile may include other user selectable preferences such as ringtones for incoming telephone calls and text tones for incoming text, SMS or MMS messages.
It has been found, however, that the constant ringing, beeping and chirping of wireless communications devices at night can be disruptive to the sleep patterns of wireless communications device users. Accordingly, many wireless communications device users turn off their wireless communications device or shift their wireless communications device from an audible notification mode to a silent notification mode. It has been found, however, that certain important or emergency messages may not be obtained timely when a wireless communications device is in silent notification mode.